Method of and composition for cleaning metals



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E; enavnnm ois' ELxINs PARK, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF AND COMPOSITION FOR CLEANING METALS.

No Drawing.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. GRAVELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elkins Park, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Method of and Composition for Cleaning Metals, of wh1ch the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in metals and particularly to the cleaning of iron and steel, preparatory to painting.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide a method and a composition or admixture for cleaning steel which will be effective even when the metal is oily and rusty; and second, to provide an admixture operative by the action of an acid and adapted not only to remove excessive rust but also to remove grease, oil and the like, and miscible with other ingredients and water whereby its action is hastened and its use simplified and facilitated.

In order to permit the acid of the compound or admixture to attack a rusty surface covered with a film of oil, I combine or admix with acid, benzol which a solvent of oils such as occur upon the surfaces of the metals to be cleaned and which is peculiarly adapted for this purpose because it is miscible with other ingredients which I may use in my admixture and because in practice it has produced excellent results. An admixture of acid and benzol separates and although the admixture works satisfactorily in the hands of an expert workman, it cannot be used to advantage where care is not exercised, so in order to overcome this difficulty, I add to the admixture a com- .bining agent, such, for instance, as alcohol or acetone, which will dissolve or make miscible both of the aforesaid ingredients, making a homogeneous fluid which does not require a skilful operator.

It will be understood by those skilled in chemical operations that such an admixture would not rapidly act on' a rusty surface,

4 owing to the fact that little or no water is present to dissolve the resultant salts produced by the acid and I have discovered that a certain amount of water may be added to the above admixtures without causing the ingredients to separate.

My admixture therefore primarily consists of an acid and benzol to whichlmay be added, to improve it, a liquid capaable of dissolving the two or making them mis- -used Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 16-, 1921, Application filed February 27, 1920. Serial No. 361,699.

cible, and the admixture may still improve,

tack the surface, which may be both oily and rusty, the metal is washed with Water and allowed to dry, in which case it is ready for further commercial operations such as fabricating with dies or painting.

It is well known that such acids as. sulfuric, nitric and hydrochloric cause the steel to subsequently rust but I find that if a phosphoric or any other acid whose iron salts are permanent in the air is used, the steelis not only freed from this tendency to rust but is practically put in a non-rusting condition, so that when phospohric acid is in my admixture, the admixture is highly valuable for preparing metal for painting because metal treated according to my invention will not rust under the paint,

even though it had a strong tendency to rust due to acid runs, hand-marks, soldering solutions, etc., on the surface prior to the application of my admixture. I have found by experiment that the following formula produces a highly satisfactory cleaning agent. The proportions given are by volume:

Phosphoric acid solution)- .5 parts. Alcohol 6.0 parts. Benzol 1.5 parts. Water .5 parts.

.ing in subjecting it to the action of an admixture of an etching acid, benzol, and a liquid with which said ingredients are miscible.

3, The method of cleaning metalconsist-- ing in subjecting it to the action of an admixture consisting of phosphoric acid and benzol.

4. The method of cleaning steel consisting in subjecting it to the solvent action of phosphoric acid, benzol, Water, and a fluid in Which said ingredients are miscible.

5. A cleaning agent for metals consisting of an admixture of etching acid and benzene.

6. A cleaning agent iron and steel consisting of an etching acid, benzene, and a fluid in which said'ingredients are miscible to produce a homogeneous fluidq,

7. A cleaning agent for metals consisting of an etching acid, benzene, Water, and. a

fluid'in which said ingredients are miscible to produce a homogeneous liquid.

8. A cleaning agent *for iron and steel consisting of an admixture of phosphoric acid, alcohol, benzol' and water.

' JAMES H. GRAVELL- A o i 

